Summer Care Made Simple – Maintenance for your Water Features
Summer is a time to relax and enjoy the outdoors. Water features like ponds, waterfalls, and fountains add a touch of tranquility to your backyard oasis. But the hot summer sun and increased activity can make it harder to maintain clear, clean water. We simplify summer care so you can enjoy your water features all season long.
Summer pond care
Clean, clear water is essential for the overall health of your fish and pond ecosystem.
Minimize Debris & Excess Nutrients
Having more nutrients and debris than your filtration system can handle causes many water quality issues.
Overcrowding
Having more fish than your pond can support can lead to too much waste and oxygen depletion. A common mistake pond owners make is adding fish to their pond without calculating their adult size, causing overcrowding. The goldfish or koi may only be a few inches long when you buy them but can grow a foot or more long as adults.
If your pond is becoming overcrowded, you'll need to either make your pond bigger, add a second pond, or rehome some of your fish.
Overfeeding
When feeding your fish, you want to make sure that you only give them enough food that they can eat in a few minutes before the flakes or pellets begin to sink. Fish food is full of nutrients that algae also love. Once the fish food falls to the bottom of the pond, it starts to break down and cause water quality issues.
Excess Debris
Storm runoff and debris from nearby trees and plants can also be a source of nutrients in the water. If the area around your pond floods during storms, you can help protect your pond and fish by building up the perimeter and carving small trenches to allow the water to flow from the flooding areas away from the pond.
Cut back dead leaves from trees and plants so they don't end up in the pond. Pay attention when you mow, especially on a windy day, and make sure the lawn clippings stay out of the pond. If you see debris on the surface, you can scoop it out using a pond net. Try to catch the debris before it settles to the bottom.
Filtration
While you can do your best to minimize nutrient loads and debris, you'll still need a proper filtration system for your pond. You can use a combination of mechanical, biological, and UV filtration to keep your pond clean and clear. Run your pump and water features 24/7, especially in the summer, to keep your pond circulating and aerated. Still water becomes a breeding ground for mosquitoes and algae blooms.
If your pond gets many hours of direct sunlight, you can add shade to help cool down the water. Algae need sunlight to photosynthesize. Warm water holds less water than cooler water. Creating shade or adding pont tint can help make the water cooler.
Water treatments to use on your pond in the summer
If you have an algae bloom, you can treat it with Algaecide
When you have buildup and want to help your filtration system break down the waste and sludge, use the Water Clarifier. This water treatment helps to consolidate floating waste in the pond. Wait 48 hours and then follow with Sludge Remover. You can use this combination regularly to keep your pond clean.
Another preventative water treatment you can use in the summer is the Barley Pond Clarifier. This natural treatment helps to clear cloudy ponds and prevent algae blooms by lessening nutrient loads in the water.
Pond tint is helpful in the summertime by adding pigment to the water, making your pond brilliantly blue. It also helps lower the water temperature and protect your fish from predators.
Summer fountain and waterfall care
During the summertime, water features like fountains and waterfalls can quickly dry up in high temperatures, especially if you live in a low-humidity climate. Water feature pumps are designed to have water running through them at all times. If the pumps keep running and there's not enough water in the reservoir, it can cause pump damage like overheating.
smartpond Premium Fountain Pumps have low water pick-up, which keeps the fountains working even when the water levels drop. These pumps also include pre-filters that protect the pumps from clogging due to debris. smartpond Premium Waterfall Pumps also include pre-filters to help prevent clogging from debris.
If you don't want to worry about checking water levels regularly, you can upgrade to smartpond Fountain Pumps with Low Water Shut-Off. These pumps have sensors that detect when the water levels get too low and automatically shut off until you add more water.
You can help your water feature pumps run more efficiently by regularly cleaning out the filters and pre-filters and removing any debris in the water.
Water treatments for your fountains and waterfalls
If your fountain or standalone waterfall (not connected to a pond) starts to look green or brown from algae, you can use smartpond GreenStop® Algaecide. This water treatment helps to control algae and prevent future blooms.
You can preventatively use the Barley Pond Clarifier to keep your fountains and waterfalls clean and algae-free.
If you want to clean your water features, vinegar is a natural cleaner that works well. You can use it with a cloth or brush and gently remove any algae, dirt, or other buildup.
Summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the beauty of water features in your outdoor space. Proper care and maintenance can help keep your pond and water features running smoothly and algae-free all season long. Minimizing nutrient loads, having adequate filtration, and using the right water treatments can help maintain water clarity even in the hottest parts of summer. Taking the time to make sure your pond, fountains, and waterfalls are set up for summer and routine maintenance pays off when you have clear, clear, and algae-free water features.
